The National telemedicine service of India, eSanjeevani, has recently hit a significant landmark with its 8 crore teleconsultations. This achievement has set new records in the field of telemedicine, with 1 crore consultations reported in a mere span of 5 weeks.
Understanding eSanjeevani
eSanjeevani is a national doctor-to-doctor telemedicine service that aims to provide an alternative to traditional physical consultations. Through a digital platform, individuals can avail healthcare services from anywhere without the need for in-person visits. It is an integral part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Health Mission (ABDHM), contributing to the generation of more than 45,000 ABHA IDs through the eSanjeevani application. The platform is prominently used by ten states, namely: Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, and Gujarat.
Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres Programme
One of the two verticals of eSanjeevani is the Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) Programme. This programme seeks to bridge the rural-urban digital health divide by providing assisted teleconsultations. At the same time, it ensures that e-beneficiaries of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme can effectively avail their entitlements. The efficient operation of this program relies on a Hub-and-Spoke model, where AB-HWCs act as spokes and are linked with the hub of MBBS/Specialty/Super-Specialty doctors at a zonal level. With 1,09,748 AB-HWC and 14,188 Hubs, this model has been able to facilitate 7,11,58,968 teleconsultations.
eSanjeevaniOPD
eSanjeevaniOPD is the other vertical of eSanjeevani catering specifically to citizens in both rural and urban areas. accessible via smartphones, tablets, and laptops, the service enables doctor consultations directly from the patient’s residence, regardless of their location. With trained and onboarded 2,22,026 specialists, doctors, and health workers, eSanjeevaniOPD has an exceptional record of serving over 4.34 lakh patients in a day. The digital platform was developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) Mohali, a reputable R&D organization affiliated with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Significance of eSanjeevani
eSanjeevani platforms have the potential to completely transform the rural healthcare sector by ensuring that people living in rural areas have easy access to medical specialists located in cities. Telemedicine not only reduces time but also cuts down on costs. These platforms align with the government’s vision of ‘Digital India’ and are crucial in handling situations like the Covid-19 pandemic.
Universal Health Coverage in India and the Related Initiatives
Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission works towards achieving universal health coverage in India. Citizens can get their Ayushman Bharat health account number under this mission, which can be linked to their digital health records. Launched following the recommendation of National Health Policy 2017 to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), Ayushman Bharat aims to provide digital health IDs to all Indian citizens. These IDs assist hospitals, insurance firms, and citizens in accessing health records electronically whenever required. The portable ID contains details of each test, disease, doctor’s appointment, medicines taken, and diagnosis. The offering ensures better planning, budgeting, and implementation of health programs by analyzing gathered health data.
Conclusion
The goal is to leverage capacities available in both public and private sector hospitals, thereby providing standardised high-quality care. This method is backed by strong fraud protection mechanisms, ensuring that the healthcare offerings are accurate and reliable through the digital medium.